Announcing Walt Disney World: Three Retro/VintageTravel Posters

Ah, the earliest beginnings of Walt Disney World! The thrill of anticipation! That first visit. Going from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the Magic Kingdom! Should we take the monorail or the ferry boat? Watching the horizon along the shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon and daydreaming of staying at the Polynesian Village Resort. 

It was just as enchanting entering the Magic Kingdom, wasn't it? Seeing Cinderella Castle at the end of Main Street U.S.A. for the first time. Exploring a whole new world with Florida exclusives like the playful Country Bear Jamboree, the nostalgic and sentimental Mickey Mouse Revue, and the inspiring Hall of Presidents- in its brand new land, Liberty Square. 

It was a BIG deal for Disney to come to Florida! We forget sometimes, just how big this was. Imagine a whole new world built from scratch in the swamplands where there was once nothing at all. Real magic was created through hard work, dedication, and ultimately, imagination.

Let's take a look at these retro / vintage Disney World and Florida travel posters used to promote this new place of wonder and fun!  

The Delta Airlines poster at top is one that has found its place in my office. It's just iconic, isn't it? Love the original colors of the castle, and I'm thrilled they are returning. 

 

The generic "Orlando" poster from National Airlines (may it rest in peace) gets their castle from Disneyland, not the Florida one. Perhaps it is unofficial and therefore, they had to do it this way. While this one is nice as well, it's definitely third place among this trio.

The winner is clearly this one! Eastern Air Lines, being the official airline of the resort focused on the entire Vacation Kingdom. The sunset red poster did not feature its sponsored attraction, If You Had Wings, because it wouldn't open until a couple of years later. Mickey gets trips billing but so do some birds from the Tropical Serenade (aka Enchanted Tiki Room), the Haunted Mansion, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and the Contemporary Resort. 

October 1971 brought a whole new world into existence. The future plans of the suits and Imagineers made sure the future looked bright. And it was, wasn't it? 

(Art copyright the Walt Disney Company and National,Delta, and Eastern airlines.)

Alice in Wonderland's Golden Afternoon at the Magic Kingdom

Back then as now, there were a very talented group of women in Imagineering! The very gifted Nila Clayton painted this beautiful concept art for the Alice in Wonderland scene in the Magic Kingdom's opening day original attraction, the Mickey Mouse Revue. What would this assortment of garden flora sing? All in the Golden Afternoon of course! 

As with all attractions, concept art forms the foundation of what's to come. It's here that the Imagineers begin to formulate a feel for the ride or show and how to communicate what they are working to accomplish. Details are worked out, and artwork becomes sets, props, and Audio-Animatronic characters. Just imagine holding up your art and seeing it come to life! 

The end results of years of work is an attraction that engages guests and uplifts them with an experience unique to Disney. In this case, Nila Clayton's beautiful painting became a charming and beloved segment in the Fantasyland favorite. It's a shame that the show went to Japan! Mickey's Philharmagic is great fun, but there's certainly room for both the old and new in the Magic Kingdom. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

From the Mickey Mouse Revue to Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway

The brand new Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is just the kind of attraction that Disney's Hollywood Studios needs, but before we talk about it, let's clarify one thing: It is not the first attraction to predominately feature Mickey Mouse. 

From the D23 archives. 

The US version of the attraction poster.

From the Disney Gazette.

That honor goes to the Magic Kingdom's original Mickey Mouse Revue which made its debut at park opening in 1971. Sometimes referred to as the Mickey Mouse Musical Revue perhaps due to the confusion based on the name which appeared on the attraction poster. 

The 86 Audio-Animatronic characters in this theater attraction took park guests into the world of Disney film music long before the equally charming 3D film PhilharMagic came into being. In this original "E Ticket", Maestro Mickey had center stage as he led the orchestra through a beautiful and rather reverent look at classic Disney music. (This is also the first placement of the Three Caballero figures now found in Epcot's Gran Fiesta Tour.) Florida was the first home to the Revue attraction, but it was later moved to Tokyo Disneyland. 

OK- onto the brand new attraction... 

In our snarky, tired, and cynical world full of deadly viruses, war, and strained social media focused relationships, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway offers a silly respite from it all. With a refreshingly innocent old school approach to Disney attractions, I can see it being the kind of achievement that Walt Disney himself would be proud of! It's a family friendly, fun and wacky journey, full of detail that makes repeats rides a necessity. 

Under the Sea?

If only Ariel's Adventure was this fun!

With new technologies and classic design sensibilities, Imagineer Kevin Rafferty, Charita Carter, and their team have created something special here- truly worth being duplicated at other parks! It especially fits at Disneyland where Mickey Mouse made his park debut back in 1955. Mickey's Towntown is a fine fit for this instant classic!

I won't get into the should it / should it not have replaced the Great Movie Ride. I think we all know the answer to that. But as a brand new attraction, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is the perfect addition to the attraction starved Studios park.

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Update: Here's the best video out there. From my friends at WDWMagic:

The attraction's theme song, "Nothing Can Stop Us Now" is even available in I-tunes.

(Art and photographs copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Magic Kingdom Opening Day Map

Disney park maps, especially "Castle Park" maps, have always been a favorite souvenir item. There have been many, many great and detailed maps for Disneyland but not really too many for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Here's the opening day souvenir map.

How different the park was then compared to now. Long gone are opening day attractions such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White's Adventures and the Mickey Mouse Revue. 

It's also hard to believe what wasn't there on opening day. Not a single mountain existed: no Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, or Splash Mountain. The legendary Pirates of the Caribbean was not even built. Nor was it on the drawing boards because the Imagineering legend Marc Davis was busy cooking up a Cowboy and Indian musical journey in the grand Pirates tradition: the unbuilt Western River Expedition. 

Regardless of the smaller number of attractions compared to Disneyland in California, guests couldn't wait to experience Walt Disney's Florida Kingdom. It was then and remains now, the heart of Walt Disney World.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)